The Best of 2012

Alex Jenkins turns his attention to the winners (and losers) over the past 12 months

Jungle Bird gets tossed off the 18th green at the US Open

Villain of the Year

No, it’s not John Daly, who was fined by the European Tour for hurling a club during the second round of the Hong Kong Open, but Andrew Dudley, aka Jungle Bird, the onerous cretin who crashed Webb Simpson’s US Open trophy presentation in what he claimed was a bid to raise awareness about deforestation. USGA Chief Executive Mike Davis was so incensed by Dudley that he shoved him into a bunker before police officers arrested the 41-year-old Brit. He was later released without charge. That wasn’t the end of Jungle Bird however. Soon afterwards he invaded the pitch at an American Football game in Ireland and then made an appearance – without upsetting anyone – at the Open Championship at Lytham. Then, in September, he reappeared, this time at the Women’s British Open, where he interrupted winner Jiyai Shin’s press conference. He hasn’t been heard from since, thankfully.

Winner: Jungle Bird

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Written by Alex Jenkins

Photography by AFP

Click here to see the published article.

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